Color matching for custom blends is an issue with quite a lot of obstacles. When a prospective client comes to your salon for a new hair system the technician will either clip a tiny sample of hair from the client’s head or they will try to match the color of the client’s hair using a color ring.

The main problem with color matching is the lighting conditions in a closed room. I know there are “rumors” of special halogen bulbs that are capable of mimicking natural light. You have the option of making a nice investment and replacing all your bulbs. I consider this a MAJOR MISTAKE!  Stick with natural light. It’s affordable and accurate. If you have a window or access to sunlight in your establishment, use it. Don’t hesitate to walk outside. Make sure you are not standing directly under the harsh glare of the sunrays or you will see too much gold and red. Instead go 2-3 feet into a shaded area for indirect light. Don’t forget to take with you both the color ring and your client’s head (make sure that the body is attached) and then choose the right color from the color ring.

Several years ago we tested a few different systems for the blending department in my company. One system was an advanced light box with 3 different types of light sources in 3 different wavelengths. The mixture of the 3 lights was supposed to generate the closest possible to natural light. Considering the low price of the unit ($2,500), I tried to convince myself that it posed a reasonable solution. I stopped deluding myself. Then I tested a $15,000 computer system that has a small but accurate scanner accompanied by a small source of light. The technician scans the sample of hair and generates a reading such as: 77% Yellow, 19% Blue and 4% Red.  But I would have to run a test on the initial sample that the client sent to me and another one on the hair that we blended and then to add or remove according to the results. You try to explain to your production employees that they must blend in another 14% of blue, 3% red and deduct 5% yellow! The main problem with this system is that the small source of light was inaccurate and the manufacturer admitted it was a feature that still required research.

In most cases, a very small sample of the client’s real hair is taken for color matching. These samples are usually so small that it would be better if we call the client and ask for a description of the color and just ignore the sample. A small sample of 10 strands does not tell the whole story of the client’s hair color.

Then there is the issue of where the sample originated. Another problem of which at times can be even more complicated than the small clipping, especially if the sample is taken 1” to 1.5” from the ends of hair.  The ends are usually much lighter, up to 1 level or more, than in the center or root of the hair strand. The sample that you are sending to your supplier for color matching can be misleading and the hair system will not match the client’s total hair color. The best policy will be to clip a nice sized sample even if the client is screaming that you are taking the last of his hair. Try taking small amounts from several different areas and not only the roots. Don’t keep human hair samples on file for more than 1 year as they oxidize, even inside a sealed envelope. After the first 6 months, I suggest to check the sample on file against the customer’s color to verify the match. Unfortunately, most of us are getting older and colors can change every month.

Customers often ask why a lot of the hair they buy appears shiny, which imparts a feeling of quality, compared to normal scalp hair. I know most hair dealers claims they sell Remy hair or cuticle hair but 99.9% of the hair sent to us by customers are verified as non-cuticle processed hair under the microscope. Now why does it look shiny compared to normal hair? The answer is a simple matter of light reflection.

The above schematic diagram (Csepluch, et al, J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 44, 299 (1993) illustrates the many angles along the hair fiber’s surface. The overlapping cuticles are open at an angle of 2-3%. Then you must consider the fact that each individual cuticle has an uneven surface. In order to complete the explanation, I will remind you that a ray of light will reflect off an object at the same angle it hits the object.

Since the cuticles have an uneven surface and lay at an angle, which also creates different angles, light will reflect off the surface in multiple angles. This is called light scattering, and surprisingly enough there are only a few labs (much more sophisticated than my lab) around the world that are able to measure light scattering.

You will have noticed that non-cuticle hair appears shinier and healthier than cuticle hair and can often fool you into thinking it actually is healthier than cuticle hair. This is purely an illusion of reflected light. A non-cuticle hair fiber is reflecting light off a surface that is without the angles of the cuticles. Which means the non-cuticle surface is acting more like a mirror when bouncing back the light rays. Take a look at your desk and see the amount of light reflected off the smooth surface. If you were to take the same desktop, break it into small pieces and reposition them at different angles on top of each other, I can assure you that the reflected light would be scattered and would measure quite differently.